Minister urges FUTA to research into flooding, others

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, has urged the Federal University of Technology at Akure (FUTA) to lead the search for solutions to debilitating flooding and other effects of climatic change ravaging parts of the country.

The minister spoke on Monday during his visit to West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) domiciled at the university.

He noted that with the equipment and quality of manpower at the centre, FUTA has what it takes to solve the nation’s environmental challenges.

The director of the centre, Prof Kehinde Ogunjobi, briefed the minister and his entourage, including the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, the Executive Director of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Dr. Adepoju Adeshola, on its operations.

Ogunjobi said the centre, with support from the German Government, trains competent weather and climate scientists who can proffer viable solutions to weather and climate-related problems in agriculture, water resources and allied sectors for enhanced and sustainable agricultural production, food security and sustainable environment in West Africa.

He said WASCAL develops climate hazard and vulnerability maps for climate change adaptation and water resources management system for the sub-region.

According to him, the centre is ready to collaborate with the ministry to tackle the nation’s environmental challenges.

Ogunjobi noted that to achieve its mandate and proffer solutions to increasing weather and climate change challenges, the Centre has succeeded in training students from across the West Africa sub region.